The American people are waking up to a hard truth: so-called “green energy” mandates are making life more expensive. A new report shows that electricity prices are much higher in blue states that push wind and solar power than in conservative red states that rely on coal, natural gas, and common sense.
According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 86% of states with electricity prices above the national average voted for the Democrat in the last two elections. Meanwhile, 80% of states with the lowest electricity prices voted Republican. The numbers don’t lie. When you choose left-wing policies, you get higher prices.
Let’s look at New York. The state’s leaders are trying to force 100% renewable power by 2040. They shut down a working nuclear plant, banned fracking, and blocked needed natural gas pipelines. At the same time, they’re pushing more demand onto the grid by forcing building electrification and electric cars. What’s the result? New Yorkers now pay electricity rates that are 58% above the national average.
Out west in California, the situation is even worse. California’s electricity prices are double the national average. The state is closing nuclear plants, demanding 100% renewable energy by 2045, and even forcing all new cars to be electric by 2035. That’s a recipe for disaster. You can’t run a modern society on the hope that the sun will shine and the wind will blow.
Compare that to states like Louisiana, Kentucky, and Florida. Louisiana gets 73% of its electricity from natural gas and has the third-lowest rates in the country. Kentucky relies on coal and pays 21% less than the national average. Florida, which recently repealed its renewable energy mandate, keeps its rates low by using natural gas.
Clean energy mandates might sound nice in a campaign speech, but in real life, they are driving up costs. Since 2020, rate-increase requests from utilities have jumped 200%. The reason? Utilities are spending billions to meet green energy goals. Every wind turbine and solar panel needs new transmission lines, backup batteries, and extra infrastructure. These hidden costs don’t show up in the rosy numbers that activists like to quote.
So why are utilities playing along with green mandates? Because they make money doing it. Utilities are allowed to charge customers enough to cover their costs plus a 5% to 10% profit on capital investments. The more they build, the more they earn. That’s why they’re happy to spend billions on unreliable energy, even if it means higher bills for you.
Some Democrats are trying to blame President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which begins phasing out green energy subsidies over the next decade. But these subsidies haven’t even ended yet. They’ve been extended 11 times since 1992. The truth is, the rate hikes we’re seeing now are caused by the green mandates already in place.
Even if the subsidies do expire, the mandates will remain. That means the same states that forced wind and solar onto their people will soon face even higher prices, without federal taxpayers footing the bill.
Americans want electricity that is reliable, always on, and affordable. That’s what President Trump’s energy policy promotes—using our abundant natural resources, ending wasteful subsidies, and putting consumers first. The left’s green dream is becoming a nightmare for working families. It’s time to bring back energy independence and common sense.